LONDON’S BIG READ 2019 FINALISTS TO BE ANNOUNCED AT LIBRARY PARTY

The London’s BIG READ 2019 Finalists will be officially declared at an exclusive party to be held in private members club, LIBRARY, on November 27, 2018.

London’s BIG READ, organised by LIBRARY, is now in its second year and aims to bring London together through reading books that expand our understanding of our community and express the diversity of this great city.The 2019 theme is female empowerment. June Sarpong, author of Diversify, was the inaugural winner of London’s BIG READ 2018, with a theme of diversity. Over the next ten months, the 2019 campaign is designed to encourage Londoners to get excited about reading, discover new books, and vote for their ‘favourite book of 2019’.A range of fiction and non-fiction titles, including poetry, middle grade and YA, have been selected to be part of London’s BIG READ 2019. Londoners, and visitors to the capital, will be invited to vote online for their favourite book from World Book Day (March 7, 2019) through to June 30, 2019.

From January 2019 onwards, the shortlisted authors, and their books, will be promoted through a series of talks and events at LIBRARY, centred on the topic of female empowerment, including mental health, family, relationships, gender equality, careers/work and much more. Copies of the books will be placed on tubes and trains across the City, and the organisers have teamed up with London Book Fair, booksellers, libraries, universities and publishers to raise awareness about the Finalists and the wider London’s BIG READ campaign.

London’s BIG READ 2019 has partnered with the Children’s Literary Charity and Ndoro Children’s Charities and aims to raise money through myriad fundraising activities throughout the year, culminating in a gala ceremony and fundraising auction in September 2019 to announce the winner.

LIBRARY invites you to attend the Finalists Party from 7pm on November 27, 2018, to find out more about London’s BIG READ 2019 and celebrate the achievements of the chosen authors. To RSVP please visit: https://londonsbigread2019finalistsparty.eventbrite.co.uk.

The Finalist books will be available to buy from LIBRARY from December 2018, with £1 from each sale going to the Children’s Literacy Charity and a further £1 going to the Ndoro Children’s Charities.

Notes to Editors

Winner of London’s BIG READ 2019:

Diversify by June Sarpong (Published by Harper Collins, 2017)

In this fierce, empowering call to arms, June Sarpong MBE puts the spotlight on groups who are often marginalised in our society, including women, those living with disabilities, and the LGBTQ community. Diversify uncovers how a new approach to how we work, learn and live can help us reach our maximum potential, lessen the pressure on the state, and solve some of the most stubborn challenges we face.